Dear Bug
by PenFromTheAshes
Summary: A (confusing) bunch of letters from a boy, Adrien, who believes in magic, to Marinette. For some reason, Adrien seems to think that he used to know Marinette before The Accident. He says that she was (is!) Ladybug, the legend, who has gone missing. Too embarrassed to talk face-to-face, he writes these letters. [Rated K for action; there is no swearing]
1. Hello, and yes, I am crazy

**~A note from the author~  
Hey!  
/So, um, I am not the best at French or the metric system, so if you catch me using them wrong, please say so in a review  
-You don't need to be signed in to leave a review-  
or message me  
Thanks, and enjoy!**

* * *

Dear Bug

Hey. If you couldn't tell when I shoved this into your hands- or maybe, I'll discreetly get Alya to stick it in your bag; I haven't decided yet -this letter is from me, Adrien. Hi.  
I'm writing this because you forgot. You forgot that you forgot. So, here it is: an explanation. Cat to the rescue.

I don't know where to start. When I first got that ring? When we first met, at school? Or when you came hurtling through the air, a flash of fantastic red, screaming and leaving us bouncing midair, tied together with your magical yo-yo?  
Magical yo-yo. You must think I'm crazy.

Please don't stop reading yet. I promise I'll try to make sense. Anyway, I'll start with crazy stuff, because who doesn't like magic?

It's easier to explain it, and sound like I've got it all figured out when you're only reading words on paper. If I had to say all this face-to-face, I promise I'd be a blushing mess really embarrassed stammering a lot. It's hard enough writing this all down, so no judgmental looks when you're done reading.  
Promise?  
Thanks.

* * *

Before I started coming to school, I was homeschooled. Not the most exciting thing, right? It wouldn't have been so bad, I guess, if I could hang out with other homeschoolers, but my Father wouldn't allow that. The only person my age that I'd ever talked to was Chloe.  
So I ran away.

No, not forever, obviously. Just to school. Introducing: Running Away (for only a little while) Part One. Chloe texted me the address of the one she went to, so I waited until no-one was looking before dashing out the front door. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from my house, and in no time, I was on the front steps. But I wasn't the greatest at running away (this was only the first time, you see) and guess who was right behind me? Natalie, (Dad's secretary/my tutor) and my bodyguard.

She called out to me, telling me to come back and apologize. Like that was going to happen. I tried asking her to give me a chance, when I heard a groaning over on my left. An elderly man had fallen over, wincing in pain as he reached out for his cane. People stepped around him, ignoring his feeble pleas for assistance.

What could I do?  
So, instead of running inside the school (Natalie wouldn't have followed me- she hated making scenes) I ran down the steps over to him. I lifted him up, snatching the cane from the ground and handing it to him.

"Thank you, son, thank you."  
I smiled, but it faded when I turned around. Natalie and my gorilla of a bodyguard stood none-too-subtly in front of the stairs. I sighed, knowing it was hopeless, and climbed inside the car next to her.

Sounds real rebellious, right? Don't worry, Marinette, I'll skip to the good stuff.

* * *

Later, I was in my room, enjoying some alone time when a large _boomskachhhh_ made me sit straight up. For a second, I wondered if my Father had decided to come out of his office, and the door was loud from underuse. But of course, that was ridiculous. All the doors were well-oiled.

I grabbed the remote and flipped to the news channel. The television flickered from footage after footage of a huge rock monster stomping around Paris. At first, I thought it was some stupid stunt, but this _thing_ would explain the horrible noise. The pictures switched to police men trying to hold him down, aiming and shooting at the monster.  
The thing grew _bigger._ It flickered, already ten feet tall, and it was growing larger. Stronger. Rockier.

Crazy, right? And, I'll admit it, I was scared. Don't tell anyone. I sat on my couch, wide-eyed, before I saw it.

Here. This is the life-changing moment, the second when I said, "What's this doing here?" and picked up the small, bear-colored wooden box. I lifted it up to my face, studying the little carvings around it.

Sometimes, (and this will sound _so_ cliché) I wonder what my life would have been like if I'd left it on the table. Or maybe, going back a little, if I hadn't helped that man up. Oh! I almost forgot- his name turned out to be Master Fu. _Please_ tell me that rings some bells.

No? (I'm assuming you said no, since I won't be there when you read this.) Fine. Anyway, I'll get on with it.

The box burst open. I gasped, throwing the thing away as green light edged with black flashed. My ears rang. I turned away, blinking until I could see again. Then I blinked some more.  
Hovering _mid-air_ was a tiny, grumpy-looking cat.

* * *

Well, not really. I didn't know it then, but the cat was a Kwami. A Kwami is this fairy-like thing, and they come bearing magic, powers, and jewelry. I know, Marinette, I'm horrible at explaining this for you, but I'd like to see _you_ try.  
Actually, no, I wouldn't. I would prefer not to fight crime with someone, not knowing anything about them, then, just when we become friends, this total lunatic of a supervillain- Ugh, sorry. I'm spoiling the story for you.

So, I don't know what it was like for you, and I guess I'll never know, since you don't know, but this is how it went for me.  
Finally, I said: "No way… Like the genie in the lamp!"  
"I met him once. So, he grants wishes, big deal. I'm way more personable! Plagg. Nice to meet you. Ooh-"

My Kwami pretty much said hi and flew away looking for something to eat. I shook off my initial shock and raced after him, swatting him away from the arcade, and whatever else the weirdo thought looked like food.  
"No! Don't touch that! Come back here!"  
"Ooh, so shiny! Can you eat this? No, you can't. Ooh, what about _this?"_

I won't get into the rest of the details. Plagg was this tiny cat, and he might've been cute if he wasn't always whining and smelling like cheese. He said something about how my power was destruction, which, I dunno, didn't sound like the typical superhero power. Oh, and I got a ring! I still wear it, so maybe after you're done reading, I can show it to you. It's usually silver, unless I say the summoning words.

"Plagg, claws out!"  
Hey, I know it sounds stupid, but you do what you've gotta do, right? (Man, I should stop asking/writing questions when I know you're not gonna answer.) Plagg shouted, his image _swirling,_ black and electric green, zipping around in a circle before disappearing into my ring. My cat was sucked inside of my _ring._

That's not all that happened.  
The energy from my Kwami was stored in my ring, for a Special Move that I'll explain in a minute. His energy was dead black, the shade of black that you stumble through when your basement light burns out and you can't find a flashlight. It zipped through my veins, making me gasp and hold my hands out to watch as my white sleeve transformed into black, stretching all the way to my fingertips, then shrinking so it fit my hand like a glove. My _hair_ buzzed, and I reached upwards, breathing faster as my hand grabbed _ears._

No, not _my_ ears. Cat ears. On my _head._  
My face tingled, and my hands swept out to the sides of it, brushing the edges of a mask. I blinked, and my vision blurred for a second. For a minute, I panicked. Cats are nearsighted. That would be great, wouldn't it? Powers, but I can't see anything farther away than 20 feet clearly.  
But then it sharpened, not quite as strong as it was before Plagg, but at least I wasn't blind.

The colors were fainted, and my vision was like a bad cellphone camera. I didn't know it then, but later I found out a nice perk: I can see in the dark.

I stared at my new outfit in wonder and noticed a cat tail swishing between my feet. _Oh,_ I remember thinking, _hope that doesn't slow me down._ My suit has two pockets, symmetrical. I have a silver pole that elongates, or acts as a phone, so I could smack a villain in the face while taking a selfie. Also, my eyes turn green. I know they're already green, but the whites turn green.  
Am I making sense?  
Probably not.

So, there I was, fully decked out in my hero-outfit, ready to go. Introducing: Running Away (for only a little while) Part Two.

* * *

What did I do first? Check out my powers, test my limits, look in the mirror to see if my secret identity was obvious, all in the safety of my room? No. I opened a window and jumped, using my pole to land on the house across the street, eyeing my house to make sure no-one saw me.  
Well, nobody came running out screaming, so I figured I was good to go.

I made sure to jump a few more roofs- I know. _Roofs._ -before seriously trying things out for myself. I landed on my feet, my ears _twitching_ , only stumbling once. Cats have good balance. Wow. I was a _cat._ Well, a weird cat-human-hybrid-superhero. I decided not to think about it.

I held the baton in front of me, balancing and weighing it in my hand. I know you want me to explain if it was top-heavy or if the metal was cool or warm in my hand, and all those specifics, what was I thinking, why was I on a roof, but I only remember thinking how _perfect_ everything seemed.

The costume fit me perfectly- I seemed to go well with it too, blond hair, green eyes. That might sound a little vain, so, uh, sorry, but when you're a model, you pick up on some fashion sense, I guess.

* * *

I decided to see what I could do with the baton. Since there wasn't exactly anybody lining up to be target practice, I did the next best thing. I extended the pole and laid it, so it balanced, each end on a roof, like a tightrope over the street.  
 _How did I know how to extend the pole?_ Well, I'll tell you: I don't know. Sometimes I wonder if maybe Plagg can put an idea into my head while he's in the ring, but I've never asked. That would be an awkward conversation. _Buddy, are you telepathic?_ Maybe it was destiny- but wow, does that sound cheesy, so probably not. I'll go with the Plagg thing.

I guess since I was thinking about Cat's balancing skills is why I started walking across the baton. I'll admit, it was probably a stupid thing to do. But at that point, nothing interesting had happened to me, _ever._ Better jump head first instead of toeing the water, right? (Since I have this whole cat thing going on, is water a bad analogy?)

There I was, hands out to the sides, balancing as I walked, maybe two hundred centimeters above the ground.  
"Hey, I think I'm starting to get the hang of-" You couldn't even let me finish my sentence. That's right, Marinette- this is where you come in.

You were screaming, this red blur in the sky, and then I was shouting, too, as you tumbled towards me. Instinct made me reach out, like I could grab you, but you were falling too fast, and I was standing on a slippery pole, so we fell, even with the added friction of cat feet.

I blinked, and we were swinging underneath my pole. Your weapon- a yo-yo -had us all tangled up, and I smiled nervously, unused, I guess, to being this _close_ to a girl, let alone anyone. Even though they were hidden by the mask, I could see your eyebrows all scrunched up, this mix of worry and panic pasted across your face.

"Well hey," I said, noting your mask and hero costume. "Nice of you to drop in." We untangled ourselves, and my baton shrunk and fell, landing nicely in my palm- or, paws.  
"I'm sorry," you stammered. "I didn't do it on purpose."  
I smiled.

This is so weird, having to describe you to you. Your costume was like mine, in a way, but it was red with black spots. That's why they called you Ladybug. Yep, Marinette, that's right. _You_ were _the Ladybug._ Your hair was still in those pigtails you used to wear. I wish you did your hair like that more often, red scrunchies standing out in the middle of your fantastic blue hair. Your eyes were bluebell, too, and-  
Sorry. I sound like I'm gushing. You probably think I'm some strange creep or something now.

"I bet your that partner my Kwami told me about. I'm…" Who was I? Plagg had said that my identity had to be a secret- though now especially I wish I had told you my real name and skipped a _bunch_ of drama I won't go into. I glanced at my hands. Black. I was a cat. "… Cat Noir. Yeah, Cat Noir." An obvious name, now that I think of it, but what else did I have to go with? "And you?"

"I'm ma… ma-" and then your yo-yo fell from the sky, smacking me on the head. "Madly Clumsy. I'm _so_ clumsy."

Let me get this straight. That yo-yo was a _weapon._ I've seen it take down akumas three times your size. It _hurt._ I rubbed my head. Tears pricked in my eyes, but I managed a grin. "No sweat, Clumsy Girl. I'm learning the ropes, too."

A rumbling in the distance. A _skyscraper_ started crumbling. I'd forgotten about the rock monster! I grinned again to cover my panic and used my pole to thrust me into the air, landing on a roof.  
"Wait! Where are you going?"  
I glanced down. You were still on the street. Sure, this was out first day out, but that didn't mean we should hesitate to stop the villain.  
"To save Paris, right?"

I might be wrong, but I think that's the first time I heard you groan at me. I jumped the roofs, following the screaming and breaking noises. Yeah, this is the part where you say how stupid I was for not figuring out what my power did, or how much the suit protected me, but you know what?  
I was tired of being safe. I'd spent my whole _life_ followed around by a bodyguard, doing (mostly) what my Father wanted me to do, and never really getting to anything that normal people got to do. Not that I'm normal now, just because I go to school. I wanted to do something helpful, on my own.  
Or, with you.

* * *

So, there it is, Marinette. The day I first met you.


	2. Fighting Moth-Face

**[Author's Note]  
Hi!  
So, this chapter is way longer than the other one.  
I'd say sorry, but you guys probably don't mind that much, so, I won't.  
(Also: Origins feels! AH!)**

Dear Bug,  
do you ever notice anything _different?_ The way Alya acts around you, or how you have less tardy records than before? I wish you'd talk to me and say how _much_ you remember. Do you have dreams of saving Paris? Interviews on TV?  
Never mind. I'm supposed to be answering questions, not asking them.

Plagg would be sucked into my ring, and I would get the power of destruction- or, Cataclysm, as we called it. This is that Special Move I mentioned in the last letter. The power turned out to be an only-one-shot kind of deal. (I learned that the hard way.) I would say _Cataclysm!_ And feel Plagg's energy racing through me, out of the ring and into my fingertips. You could _see_ the magic hovering there, black, and deadly. The power of destruction.

I always used it on objects. Never on a human, no matter how much I wanted to.

Tikki was- _is_ your Kwami. I only saw her once, but she's small, about as tall as a pencil. She's the red of a traffic light, smothered with spots, like you, one of them right on her forehead. I didn't know her name then, but I bribed Plagg into fessing up.  
She gets sucked into your earrings. Your power was creation; a nice match to my destructive power. You could say _Lucky Cham!_ And receive a random item that could help us defeat the akuma.

I've said that a few times. Sorry. I'll try to explain it.

There was… a person, and he went by 'Hawkmoth'. He had a Kwami, too, but he was _not_ a good guy like us. We spent most of our time trying to stop him. I forget if he had a name for his power. If he did, well, I don't care. His power was mind-control and wish-granting.

I only saw his Kwami once. I think he was purple, with stripes? Sorry again. His name was… Nooroo. I think. I'll ask Plagg.

(Plagg says hi.)  
(Actually, no, he doesn't, but hi sounds a lot nicer.)  
(He also remembers that yes, Nooroo is his name.)  
(Oh, and if _you_ remember anything, please tell me. I'm serious, anything. Thanks.)

Anyway.  
I already told you about when we first met. Well, since we didn't know each-others secret identities, we also met separately in our civilian forms. What are the odds that we'd go to the same class?

So, uh, (in case you couldn't tell, me sitting in front of you everyday and all) my Father finally relented and let me go to school. I won't say why yet. I prefer to write the happy stuff. But when we first met, I was still… going against his wishes. Introducing: Running Away (for only a little while) Part Three.

This time I had Plagg, so I was faster, sprinting and leaping across the roofs, wiping dust out of my eyes, not looking down, and other grand hero-like things a normal hero would do while on the run. When I was close enough to have a good head-start, I deactivated, jumped into an alley, and speed walked the rest of the way to the school.

"You're such a strange kid," Plagg muttered, flying around my head when he should've been in my jacket, out of sight. "Who would want to be at school when he can stay at home all day?"  
"You don't get it, Plagg. I've had enough of being shut up at home with my dad. I want to meet people and make friends! Go to a school like everyone else!"

Just to prove that he wasn't listening, Plagg moaned. _"I feel weak…"_  
I blinked and gave him a look, before remembering, that I _had_ just been Cat Noir, rooftop acrobatic. Kwami tend to use up their energy by transforming and taking the hit so we don't wake up covered in bruises the next day. Well, visible ones.

I slipped my bag off my shoulders and pulled out a wedge of Camembert. "You know what's strange? The fact that all you eat is this disgusting, rotten, _smelly,_ Camembert cheese and then I have to smell like it twenty-four/seven. _That's_ strange."  
Plagg gobbled up the cheese with joy in his narrow green eyes. "If you want to be able to transform into a superhero, then stinky cheese is the deal, my friend!" His tone was nice enough that I calmed down, but still. He seriously stank.

What does Tikki eat? Macaroons?

Well, it turned out that changing into Cat Noir hadn't given me as much of an advantage as I had thought it would. I was almost inside the doors when I heard a familiar soft engine rumbling behind me.  
"Adrien, don't do this! Your father will be furious!"  
As if he wouldn't be if I had gone back home with her. "Tell him you got her too late," I begged, turning my head only so she could see my wide, desperate, and innocent eyes. "Please!" My head buzzed in alarm as my body rebelled and walked inside the school doors. The door stayed open, as other students filed in and out, but Natalie didn't follow me. I waited to see what would happen, stepping to the side and counting to sixty.

A minute passed. A car door shut faintly, then the engine grew quieter until vanquishing.

I exhaled in relief, laughing a little. I had done it! I was going to school!  
So, yeah, I sounded like I was on a kids' show, getting ready for The Big Day, but I didn't care. This _was_ an exciting, new thing for me, and I wouldn't let that one kid's judging look bring me down.

I walked farther into the main area and saw a small group of kids talking. One of them I recognized from the field where we'd fought Stone Heart the day before, and she scowled, hands in fists as she talked. I imagined angry lasers shooting out of her glasses. A blonde girl glanced at the ceiling, then back to the girl, her voice in a sing-song tone that I didn't recognize. No-one I talked to spoke like that, though what did I know? For the most part, I'd only spoken to boring adults.

The girl- Alya! -said something back to Chloe, crossing her arms.

"Chloe?"  
She turned and gasped at me, her eyes widening as she beamed, skipping over to hug me. "Adrikins!" She squeaked. "You came!" At the time, I hadn't been embarrassed or annoyed at the nick-name. I had thought everyone had one, or maybe Chloe was just one of those creative people who gave all her friends nick-names.

Well, turns out that isn't as common as I thought. We had nick-names for each other, sometimes. You _hated_ it when I called you Bugaboo and called me _Kitty_ in return. It… wasn't annoying.  
Now I'm being weird again. I'm sorry, Marinette.

Chloe had lead me to our classroom, and I signed a few autographs on the way. She had pointed to a seat in the front row, which was nice of her. I smiled at the boy I'd be sitting with, but he didn't look ecstatic, exactly.  
"You're friends with _Chloe,_ huh?" Before I could figure out what he meant, I heard Chloe's friend, Sabrina, giggling. It wasn't a _happy_ giggle.  
I turned around. Chloe handed Sabrina gum, which she put in your seat.

"Hey! What's that all about?"  
"The brats that sat here yesterday need a little attitude adjustment," she said, her voice in the same sing-song tone it had been earlier. Her smile was pulled to one side. On that first day, I was a sheltered idiot and didn't realize she was smirking. "I'm just commanding a bit of respect, that's all."

I thought, _if her classmates were rude, why didn't she tell the teacher, or talk it over with them?_ Even _then_ I knew: something was off.  
"You really think that's necessary?" I stepped over to the seat, frowning at the glob on the bench, wet with spit.  
"You've got a lot to learn about school culture, Adrikins. Watch the master."  
Master of what? Chewing gum?

I knelt on one knee and narrowed my eyes at the gum. I couldn't leave it there, but I definitely didn't want to touch it. I had just worked up the nerve to grab it when I heard:

"Hey! What are you doing?"  
I jumped, turning around to see a surprised and annoyed girl with indigo hair standing in the doorway. Oh, here you are again! This time, I was the one stuttering.  
"Uh… I…."  
Chloe and Sabrina laughed. What were they doing?  
You huffed. "Okay, I get it. Good job, you three. Very funny."  
"No, I was just trying to get this off!"  
"Oh, _really?_ " You walked over to the bench. I quickly stood up and pulled back out of your way as you frowned at the gum, pulled a napkin out of your bag, and stuck it on the mess. You threw a glance back at me. "You're friends with _Chloe,_ right?"

I blinked, turned away, and sat in my seat. Why did people keep saying that?  
Chloe laughed again from behind me, harsh and forced. "Now do you see what I mean about respect?" I bit my lip, head swimming a little with the events of everything. My bag fell from where it had been leaning on the desk leg onto my feet. Something moved around inside; Plagg.

"Why didn't you tell her it was Chloe's idea?"  
I looked up at the boy. "I've known Chloe since I was a little kid. And I know she's not perfect, but I can't throw her under the bus. She's, like, my only friend."  
The boy glanced at the desk, then turned back to me and grinned. "I'm Nino, and it's time for you to make some new friends, dude."

Then class started, so I couldn't say anything else. Ms. Bustier began role-call, but we had just gotten started when the huge rock monster ran through, his huge rocky shoulders snapping the door down.

He grabbed Mylene and Chloe, then jumped through the wall and onto the streets. First Day of School Review: 4/10. One new friend, one person who possibly hated me, and one old friend I wasn't sure about. Also: huge rock monster causes slight inconvenience.

Hey, Marinette, do you remember this part? Do you remember being Marinette? If you do, _please_ tell me. Or Alya. I know you tell her everything- and she remembers. If you can't tell me, write a letter. Like this one. I don't mean to come off as desperate, but… I miss you.  
Back to the stone monster.

I snatched my bag up and down the hall to the locker room.  
"My first day of school and I don't even make it past role-call," I complained to Plagg.  
"A day off? Now that's what I'm talking about!"  
"Oh n-n-n-no. We have homework to do."  
Plagg moaned.  
"Claws out!"

Plagg was sucked into my ring once again, dark black energy crowding into my head. Every sound was amplified- street creaking under the weight of a boulderous hulk, students yelling, cellphones beeping and ringing. My head tingled with my new cat ears, my tail brushed against my legs, and the bell under my collar jingled as I ran outside to the damage.

Chloe was yelling at Stoneheart, who was holding her in his fist. "You have no idea who you're dealing with! My daddy, the mayor, will bring in the police, the army, the entire cavalry!"  
"Don't forget the superhero!" I shouted, running towards them, and smacking the monster with my baton. The monster just flashed a rocky grin as he shook, growing bigger. "Oh. My bad."

"Ugh. Super incompetent, you mean." I tried to ignore Chloe, since she didn't even know who I was.  
"You wanted the calavry?" Stoneheart yelled, his voice gruff. "Here it is!" The street shook as more rocky nightmares stomped their way over to us. They were slightly shorter, and less mountain-y, but my eyes still widened at the sight. "Seize him!"

The ones closest to me laughed, and even their laugh sounded coarse. Hands shot out from all sides, I ducked and jumped, rolling to the side as Mylene and Chloe shrieked more. The high pitches were too amplified for my cat ears, and I winced, trying to stay focused on the stone limbs that smacked and snatched.

"IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, LADYBUG," I shouted, "I CAN USE A LITTLE HELP!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girl you'd been sitting next to just ten minutes ago. Alya had her phone out, trying to take a picture. Okay, Alya is the best, but- _WAS SHE INSANE?_  
One of the monsters tossed a car, and it plummeted towards Alya, so I leaped, baton out and bouncing against the car, shielding her from being crushed. Alya shouted, pinned between the car and the building behind her, but that meant she was alive.

Before I could dash over and help her, one rocky thing snatched me up, squishing, bruising, and scrapping me against its harsh fingers. I swung my feet and kicked wildly, since my entire upper body was pinned in its hand.  
"LET GO, YOU BLOCKHEAD!"

Its fist swayed as they stomped down the streets. Distantly, I heard a shouting, then the zipping of your yo-yo.  
"Cat Noir! Extend it!"  
And then my baton was thrust between the blocky fingers. I grabbed it, energy spilling from me into the stick as it lengthened, the giant shouting as I escaped, then fell, spinning, to the ground. I grunted, then rubbed my head and sat up to see the thing looming over me.  
"Woah!"  
Your yo-yo flashed red and snagged my leg, yanked me up and out of the way, then left me hanging, swinging under a lamppost. You flashed a grin from where you squatted on top of the pole.

"Sorry I was late."  
Remembering your puns from the first time we'd fought the rocks, I winked back. "My lady, have I ever told you that you turn my world upside down?"  
"Oh, quite the jokester, aren't you?"

The boulders below us roared angrily.  
"-But your comedic timing needs work- we gotta get out of here!" You leaped from the pole, onto a roof, and I followed, having no choice since your yo-yo was still tied to my leg. I shouted as I flipped behind you, tugging the string off my ankle. We dashed across the rooftops.

"HEY," I yelled, ducking and hurtling chimneys, "AREN'T WE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THEM?"  
"NO." We landed on concrete, straightening up to face the Eiffel tower across the bridge from us, on top of which Stoneheart roared at the helicopters flying around him. "If we wanna save them all, we gotta go to the source. _That one._ "

The police blocked off our end of the bridge, where the mayor held a megaphone, trying to convince Stoneheart to let his daughter go.  
" _You know what?"_ The rock pile growled, " _you're welcome to her."_ He thrust Chloe across the bridge. Screaming, she flailed. I stepped forwards, but I was too slow, too far behind to do anything helpful. But a flash of red, and you were halfway across the bridge, catching Chloe midair. I ran over to follow you.

"My princess!" The mayor and Chloe hugged, scrambling out of the way as the policemen raised their rifles.  
"We're clear to attack!" The captain ordered. Wait. What about Mylene? He couldn't just shoot with her still up there!  
"WAIT!" You shouted, hands raised. "No, don't attack them! You know it'll only make things worse."  
The captain shook his head, gesturing as he spoke. "I have a new plan, unlike you. Move aside, and let the pros do their thing; you've already failed once!"

You froze.  
Slowly, you turned around, staring at the ground. "He's right, you know," you whispered. "If I had captured Stoneheart's Akuma the first time around, none of this would've happened!" You hid your face in your hands. "I knew I wasn't the right one for this job…"  
You looked so tired.

"No. He's wrong, because without you, she'd no longer be here." I glanced at where Chloe stood with her dad. You looked up, sorrowful. "And because without us, they won't make it, and we'll prove that, too. Trust me on this. Okay?"  
You took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay."

Stoneheart bellowed behind us, and we turned to see the rocky being folding in half, spluttering, and choking. He reared back, and puked… butterflies? Akumas. A huge ball of purple akumas flew, shaping a huge, brooding face, too vague to recognize. Yet it had looked familiar…  
Stoneheart gasped for breath and fell backwards as the face began speaking. How was _that_ possible?

" _People of Paris,_ " the voice hissed, both comforting and revolting at once, " _listen carefully. I am Hawkmoth."  
_ "Hawkmoth?" I leaned forwards, trying to figure out where I knew him from. TV?  
" _Ladybug, Cat Noir, give me the ladybug earrings and the cat ring_ now! _You've done enough damage to these innocent people."_

Someone clapped slowly, and everyone, the police, the mayor, and me, turned, to see you walking towards the giant moth-head with an easy swagger.  
"Nice try, Hawkmoth, but we know who the bad guy is. Let's not reverse the roles here. Without you, none of these innocent victims would be turned into villains. Hawkmoth," you added, not a drop of doubt left in your voice, "no matter how long it takes, we _will_ find you, and _you_ will hand us _your_ miraculous!"

You ran the rest of the way to the tower, leaping and screaming " _time to de-evilize!"_ You swung your yo-yo at the moth-head, hair flying, pink streaming, flashing, as the bugs disappeared one by one. Hawkmoth yelled in outrage, until the whole thing was gone. You flipped and landed skillfully on the Eiffel, then turned and faced the whole of Paris.

"Let me make this promise to you: no matter who wants to harm you, Ladybug and Cat Noir will do everything in our power to keep you safe!" You beamed, pressed a button on your yo-yo, and released thousands of white purified butterflies into the sky, like a sonic boom of bugs.

The police cheered. The helicopters whirred. I smiled.

But Stoneheart wasn't done yet. He finally stood, glaring at us from where we stood. "You'll never take Mylene from me!" You leaped from the Eiffel, and I ran over from the bridge. Stoneheart growled and stomped, shaking the ground as Mylene shrieked. We stumbled, falling onto the pavement. My head spun, but I stood up anyway, determined to stop the rocks for the last time.

"Come to me, my stone beings!"

The other horrifying boulders stomped after Ivan, and then climbed the tower, each step shaking the ground. Quickly, we climbed, too, but had to stop at the first floor.  
"We're surrounded! What do we do now? We can't attack him!"  
"Yes," you said, frowning at Stoneheart, "but we know where the Akuma is."  
I nodded, understanding. "In his clenched fist. The one he's holding Mylene with. So…"  
"So we know he's in love with her." You paused, then beamed and turned back to me. "That's it! We don't separate Stoneheart and Mylene- we bring them closer together! They're made for each other; they just don't know it yet."

You swung your yo-yo and started climbing up the tower.  
"Uh, not really following you-" …but you were already gone. I sighed, shook my head, not understanding, and followed.

"HELP!" Mylene shouted. "I'M SCARED OF HEIGHTS!"  
You leaped up to the tip of the tower. "Everything's going to be alright!"  
The stone monsters roared, causing the news copters to dip and back up.  
I caught up to you, hair flapping in the wind from the helicopters. "How are you planning to get them closer than they already are?"  
"By using our powers. LUCKY CHARM!"

You thrust your hand into the air, small dots of pink swimming along the string, until, with a flash of white, a small, red-and-black backpack fell, landed in your hands. "A parachute? What-"  
But I didn't hear the rest of what you said, because while my back was turned, one of the rocks had grabbed me, throwing me into the air, spinning and yelling. I managed to grab a beam, flipped myself over it, and landed on top, holding the other boulders back with my baton.

"You sure you know what you're doing?"  
"We'll find out soon enough!" You threw the yo-yo, catching it underneath Stoneheart's arm and head. "His hand! Get ready." You leaned back, yanked and grunted. The yo-yo pulled Mylene and Stoneheart together, accidently- _Or was it?_ -causing them to kiss. Stoneheart gasped and opened his hand, dropping both the paper and Mylene.

I leaped, passing Mylene as she dangled from Stoneheart's fingertips, reaching for the paper, then hitting it back up to you with my baton, like baseball. Then I shoved my bat into a crevice in the tower, shaking, but not plummeting to my death, which is always a plus.

"Homerun!" My ears picked up the ripping of paper. "Time to de-evilize-"

But then, with a flash of deep purple, Stoneheart was Ivan, and he was falling. Mylene and Ivan shouted, falling towards me.  
"CAT NOIR! You take care of Ivan!"

Without thinking, I yelled "CATACLYSM!" and slammed the sudden flash of energy into the Eiffel Tower. A beam lowered, and I snatched it, pulling it out and grabbing Ivan as he fell. You sped past, grabbed Mylene, flung your yo-yo, caught the Akuma, and activated your parachute, softly falling to the safety of the sidewalk. I watched as you hit the pavement, set down Mylene, and pressed a button on the yo-yo. One single, purified butterfly flapped out.

I helped Ivan down to the pavement, which wasn't easy; he's a big guy. Pink spots of Tikki's magic swirled around us, cleaning the damage done by the rock monsters, turning the rock monsters back into humans, and smelling faintly of roses and cookies.  
"Woah! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"  
"Yeah! It's beautiful… amazing- oh, it's _miraculous!"_

We stood there, adrenaline still coursing, hearts beating a marathon, simply watching the magic.

Ivan said something to Mylene, so she hugged him. He froze, blushing.  
"Oh, they're so made for each other."  
"Like us two," I tried, but then my ring started beeping. (Plagg did that on purpose.)  
"Uh-oh," you said, not looking upset. "You see that? Time to split. See you soon, Cat Noir."

I watched you swing away, then went in the other direction, leaping over rooftops until I landed on one close enough to my house. I deactivated, then ignored Plagg as he whined for cheese.  
And I sat there, adrenaline still coursing, heart beating a marathon, simply watching the magic.


	3. You accept the umbrella

**(Author's Note)**  
 **Hi, again!**  
 **Yeah, so this one took longer to write than I had planned... Mostly from second hand embarrassment on Adrien's part.  
** **Thanks for all the nice reviews!**  
 **I DIDN'T FORGET THE UMBRELLA SCENE X)  
**

* * *

Dear Bug,  
all was not well. My father allowed me to go to school, (for reasons I won't reveal) and I was starting to fall into the rhythm of classroom life, but there was still a problem- you seemed to hate me still.  
Nino said to just be myself, but I wasn't sure exactly who _I_ was. Polite, (mostly) obedient Adrien, or brave, outgoing Cat Noir? There was something so exhilarating about wearing that cat mask. Wearing it, nobody would know who I was; everything I did wouldn't be discussed and reviewed by the press and my father. I was anonymous.  
That was the way I liked it.

So how could _Adrien_ make you like me? There wasn't anything… special. Sure, my father was rich, and I guess every other magazine had my face on it, but that wasn't me. That was my father's brand.

I was trying to figure this out, when class dismissed, and you gathered your stuff and headed for the door. Do you know that old saying? Don't let the sun go down while you're still angry? I decided to do that for you- talk with you before too much time had passed, and it grew routine to hate me.

It was raining. I caught up with you at the door, just under the roof where it was dry. You turned away. I sighed, pulling out my umbrella, studying the rolling of the clouds. It opened with a pop, black as the cat I'd been hours earlier. My bodyguard sat impatiently in the car at the end of the steps.  
 _Just get it over with._

"Hey."  
You ignored me.  
"I just wanted you to know that I was only trying to get the chewing gum off your seat, I swear. I've never been to school before. I've never had friends. It's all sort of… new to me."  
You looked up and took a tiny step forwards, testing to see how wet you'd get.

I stood there for a second, not sure what to do. The rain poured. Then my hand stretched out, covering you with the umbrella. Thunder crashed. Your eyes widened at the sound. I smiled, handing you the umbrella. You took it quickly enough, avoided touching my hand. I didn't see any cars other than mine; I couldn't just let you _walk_ home in the rain, could I?  
What kind of friend would let you do that?

You hesitated, then took the umbrella. I smiled at you, and then you were smiling too. Your shoulders dropped, relaxing.  
 _Click._ You accidentally hit the release button, and the umbrella snapped closed on you.

I burst out laughing.  
You pushed it open, and bit your lip before giggling, too.

Rain slipped down the side of my face, my bodyguard honking his horn to remind me that I was supposed to be more responsible than to let myself get sick, with photoshoots the next day. My laughter faded. I started down the stairs.  
"See you tomorrow."  
"Uh… see you to- to… mo- tomo…"

Dodging puddles, I nearly made it to the car when Plagg bumped me with his nose.  
"First day of school and we already have two lovebirds."  
"Whatever," I told him, pushing the cat back inside my jacket where he was _supposed_ to be hiding. "She's just a friend." Oh. _A friend._

I glanced back, trying to see if you were smiling or scowling in disgust at me, but you held the umbrella tilted, so I couldn't see your face. Oh, well. Friendship is a tricky thing to act.

* * *

Marinette, I'll take the time now to make a promise: Everything that I, Adrien Agreste, will write will be the truth, the whole truth (or until my hand gets tired) and nothing but the truth. Even the sort of… _awkward_ bits. What would be the point of writing this, of reminding you of stuff, if I lied and tweaked it?  
(…Plagg says stop being cheesy and get back to the action. The hypocrite.)

* * *

For a couple of days, it was quiet and normal. At least, I think it was normal for school. I wouldn't know. But then, a special day came by… my fourteenth birthday! I was brushing my teeth when Plagg flew up to me.

"Happy birthday, Adrien!" It would've been a nice gesture, if his "present" hadn't smelled like socks a runner had worn three days in a row.  
"Ugh, Plagg! Get that filthy piece of camembert out of my face!" I waved him away.  
The Kwami shrugged and ate it himself, ribbon, and all. _Disgusting._

A little later, I was eating breakfast when Nathalie walked in and handed me a tablet with my schedule.  
"Thanks, Nathalie."  
She started to leave, preferring to keep from interacting as often as possible, like always. This shouldn't have bothered me. It was what she always did. Relay the message, check that off the list, keep going and do something else productive.  
That day it did bother me, and I blurted out: "Hey, um, did my father get back to you about my birthday party?"

She froze, glancing at her shoes. My face dropped when I realized she hadn't even mentioned it to him. "Well, um- He doesn't think it would be a good idea."  
I turned away. 'Course she didn't talk to him. It would've be a waste of time.  
"Happy Birthday, Adrien," she called, before retreating to the simplicity of computer work. Spreadsheets were much easier to handle than teenage boys.

* * *

Minutes and school blurred together until I found myself outside during a break between classes, waiting for my ride. With Nathalie and father in charge of my schedule, not a minute went to waste.

"Dude, seriously?" Nino shook his head, waving his bubble wand as he spoke. "Has your dad always been such a downer? You'd think he'd remember what it was like to be young and wanna party a little."  
"No, I'm pretty sure he was a downer then, too… Well at least I tried." Last year I hadn't bothered asking Nathalie or father anything. I'd expected this outcome.  
"It's your _B-day_ , dude! Insist!"  
As if that would help with anything. I smiled, a small one compared to Nino's large, slightly concerned one.  
"You know what? I'm gonna have a little convo with your pops."  
Oh, sweet, optimistic Nino. "Don't waste your time. He's not gonna change his mind."

Nino shook his head, about to add something else, when you stumbled in front of us, like you'd tripped or had been pushed.  
Waving your arms to catch your balance, you grinned, almost forced and a little sheepish. "H- hey."  
I blinked. "…Hey."  
"I, um- I wanted to, umm, gift you a make-" You blushed, shifting your weight, holding something behind your back. "I mean, gift you a give I made- I mean…"

Chloe joined us from inside, tapping her foot while you stuttered. It had surprised me that she waited for you to trail off before interjecting. She wasn't normally so patient.  
Finally, she leaned forwards and wrapped me in a hug, so I couldn't see anything but her fluffy blonde hair.  
"Happy birthday, Adrien!"  
"Yeah, thanks, Chlo."

She beamed, her blue eyeshadow perfectly in place, ponytail high and bouncy. "Did you get the gift I sent you?"  
"Uh, no."  
Chloe narrowed her eyes, looking off to the side like she was glaring at whoever's fault it was. "What? Oh, those delivery guys. I bet it was too heavy, so they had to go back and get another guy to help. Those slackers!"  
She wrapped her arm around me again, smiling again. "I'll make sure they get it to you by tonight." She sauntered off, humming.

I must say, Chloe was much better at lying than Nathalie.

Nino and I chatted before my ride pulled up to the curb, engine humming softly. I gave Nino an apologetic smile. "Gotta go. Photo shoot."  
He nodded, giving me a little wave as I climbed inside the plush and overly-expensive car. Why couldn't father tone it down, a little? I doubted anyone would forget he was rich if I rode in the smaller, low-key car that I preferred.

* * *

It was a good hour later when I finally returned home, tired. Plagg was whining about starvation and cheese being good for a cat's health. Maybe I could manage to sneak past Nathalie and-  
Why was Nino here?  
And- my father was on the steps. _Listening._ Or pretending to.  
Since when did that happen?

"… He never screws up in class," Nino pleaded, "he always does whatever you tell him: photoshoots, fencing, Chinese, piano-"  
"Nino? You're here."  
He glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes, brightening. "Anything for my best bud." He turned back to father. "Show some awesomeness, d- I mean, sir. Please."

My father tensed.  
"Forget it Nino," I interjected, trying to play things down. I glanced at father where he stood on the stairs, posture straighter than the perfectly hung portraits. "Really, its fine."  
"Listen, young man," my father rumbled, and my heart had plummeted. "I decide what's best for my son. In fact, I've just decided that you're a bad influence and you're not welcome in my house ever again. Leave now!"

"Father, he was just trying to do something cool for me-"  
-but he turned and left, back to his office or whatever was more important than his son.

Nathalie nodded from her position near the base of the stairs, stepping over briskly to escort my friend away. "Goodbye."  
Nino pressed his lips together. I followed him to the front stoop.  
"Nino, wait!" He swallowed, looking up. I hurried before Nathalie could whisk me off to the next thing on her list. "My father- …he's pretty stubborn. It's just best to stay out of his way."

He narrowed his eyes.  
"It's not fair, Adrien. Harsh… _Uncool._ " He crossed his arms and started down the steps.  
"… Thanks anyway, Nino."

* * *

Marinette, you're probably wondering why I let you in on that cheerful context. See, the evil Hawkmoth thrived on using his Akumas to create evil villains. Those dark purple butterflies that you captured with your yo-yo was Hawkmoth's key to giving us no sleep- Oh, I mean, taking our Miraculous.

I only saw him do it once, and I didn't get a good look at it, but this is what happens: Hawkmoth's lair was swarmed with white butterflies, all identical to each other. He'll take one and preform his dark magic- err, his Special Move on it.  
Whatever he does, it turns the unfortunate thing evil, before being sent off after whatever sad, poor soul Hawkmoth chose, and it turns them evil, too.  
Oh. It also allows Hawkmoth to manipulate them into destroying as much as possible and stealing our miraculous.  
That's about it!

* * *

It was after lunch when I encountered the akumatized villain.

The house was silent, except for my footsteps. I paused, waiting to hear Nathalie typing or Father pacing. Neither happened. Oh, well. I figured they were in a back room, and headed outside, to the car.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY," cheered a crowd of teens. I jumped. From inside my pocket, Plagg nudged me, wanting to see.  
"Hey, hey, hey, Birthday Boy!" Standing… _on top of a bubble,_ was a familiar face, wearing a plushy costume of red, blue, and yellow. He held what looked like a plastic sword… or, a bubble wand. His beady eyes shone. "Guess what? Daddy's gone. While the cats away, mice will play!"

" _Nino?!"_  
"The Bubbler's brought all your homies together for one single-sole purpose: to celebrate!" He leaped from the bubble, landing on a raised platform with huge speakers and records. Nino- or, Bubbler, shoved headphones on and looked up in with an unnerving grin. "Let's get this party started!"

I ran back inside the house.

After closing the door behind me, I took three deep breathes. _What was THAT?_  
"What's your problem?" Plagg hovered midair, stretching. He was probably glad to be out of my jacket. "Relax! You're getting the party you've always wanted."  
Outside, fireworks exploded.  
"But Nino's been akumatized! I've gotta help him!"  
Plagg narrowed one eye, his way of raising an eyebrow. "You may never get this chance again! C'mon, let's have a little fun while your father's away. Then we'll save Nino, trap his akuma, and all will be good."  
I hesitated, then nodded. He was probably right. If my father found out, I'd be even more grounded until past college, if that was legal. And, Plagg was a kwami. He'd been around for hundreds, maybe thousands of years! Surely, he knew what he was talking about. I could trust him.

AHAHAHAHAHAHA.

"Okay, you're right," I had said naïvely. "This might be the first day in my life that I actually get to do what I want for once."  
Never trust a cat, Marinette.

* * *

 **Yeah, so there's that.  
In the next chapter, I'll finish up the Bubbler episode, then move on to Stormy Weather.  
I have a few episodes in mind...  
(Copycat, Puppeteer, Dark Cupid, Collector, etc)  
...but any suggestions/requests?  
I'm not doing all of the episodes, but am willing to consider.**


	4. Bubbles and Other Near-Death Experiences

**(Author's Note)  
** **Thanks for all the nice reviews!  
This chapter took longer to get up, but it's here now.  
I've decided on the episodes that I'll be using, including but not limited to:  
Time Breaker, Copycat, Evillistrator, Dark Cupid, Princess Fragrance, Gamer, Reflekta, Puppeteer, Antibug, and Volpina.  
And that's just Season 1! **

* * *

Dear Bug,  
Never put parties ahead of fighting best-friends-turned-villains. Not that you would, or did, but if you ever feel the temptation, just read this letter again.

Despite the weird, empty feeling in my stomach, I had tried to make the most of the situation. I attempted conversation with a few people over the booming music, but they just smiled, and subtlety stepped closer to the nearest exit.  
It was a great moral booster.

After a while, I considered transforming into Cat Noir just to fight off the awkwardness, literally. Then Chloe walked up to me, bouncing with giddiness. Unlike everyone else, she was smiling. _Phew!_ I thought. Maybe she could tell me what exactly was going on.  
"Is it just me," I asked, "or does everyone seem a little weird?"  
"Forget about _them!_ Let's go dance!"

Chloe grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the center of the courtyard while the Bubbler switched to a slower song. Everyone quickly pivoted and started dancing with the person closest to them, staring at their shoes. I tried to smile for Chloe, who was probably the only one having fun, but my stomach kept flipping.  
Even though it didn't seem to be causing any harm, having fun while one of Hawkmoth's villains was a few feet away didn't feel right. No matter what Plagg had said.

UGH. Why had I listened to him in the first place?

We danced awkwardly for a few more minutes before there was a loud _Skrrchhh!_ (Yes, that's exactly what it sounded like.) _-_ And the music changed to a faster pop song. Almost in relief, everyone collectively let go of their partners and started bouncing on the balls of their feet, swinging their arms.

The Bubbler muttered something huffily, but I wasn't paying attention to him. I redirected Chloe to the snack table and grabbed some pretzels, chewing them nervously. …Where had these snacks come from?

"Yo, birthday-boy Adrien! How 'bout you have a turn runnin' this rodeo! Lay down something fiercely wicked!"  
I turned around and gave the Bubbler my most polite _I-have-no-idea-what-that-means_ face. He was holding a microphone and gestured for me to come onto the stage. I hesitated, then grinned as widely as I could without coming off as a crocodile impressionist.  
"Sure!"

I climbed onto the stage, gingerly took the microphone, and surveyed my audience. Most smiled, but more than one had an eye twitch.  
"Hey, Paris! How're you doing?"  
The group shifted uncomfortably. The floorboards behind me shifted. Suddenly, their eyes widened and they all took a step back before laughing and cheering, jerkily clapping their hands.

My stomach rolled again, so I handed the Bubbler his microphone and jumped back down. Something red flashed in the corner of my eye. I glanced up-  
"Ladybug!"

Hey, look, it's you again! You threw your yo-yo at the Bubbler's power strip, knocking out the cords and abruptly cutting out the music. I wasn't sure exactly how helpful that was, but it sure looked impressive. Your pigtails bounced as you shook your head at him.  
"Sorry, Bubbler, but the party's over!"  
"UGH. Why ya gotta be like that?"

You started lecturing the Bubbler about adults while I inched over to my front doors. I dashed down the hall and up the stairs, to my room, in case anybody decided to follow me. Plagg flew out of my jacket and managed to look innocent.  
"I think I've been a complete idiot."  
The kwami sighed, knowing what was coming.  
"Plagg, claws out!"

His energy transformed into mine, and suddenly I was ready to bounce off the walls- because sometimes I needed to be that kind of ready. Your plans could get a little complicated.

With a new bounce in my step and cat ears on my head, I opened a window and leaped to the roof. I almost slipped in the dust but managed to grab my balance and headed for the front courtyard.

You were already fighting the Bubbler head-on, swinging your yo-yo at him. He grunted and threw a bubble in your direction. My eyes widened, and I leaped down as the yo-yo bounced off the bubble, heading right for you.  
I swung my baton at it, sending the yo-yo up towards the clouds. A grin broke through my face as I posed, ready for anymore bubbles the Bubbler could blow at us.

"Looks like I arrived just in time," I said, panting.  
"Oh, I had it under control." You grinned this time as your yo-yo bonked me in the head, beaming with one eyebrow raised at my look of sheer pain. "But thanks!"

Can I remind you that your yo-yo is a _weapon,_ and _not_ meant for bonking your awesome crime-fighting partner in the head with?

On the other side of the courtyard, a familiar purple outline of wings hovered over the Bubbler's face. He grimaced at whatever Hawkmoth demanded (read: our miraculouses) and smirked at us.

Gripping his plastic bubble sword, he arched it through the air, sending a hurricane of red-tinged bubbles towards us. You and I were ready, baton and yo-yo flashing through it all and keeping the bubbles from touching us. Some of the teens hiding behind the banisters cheered.

The bubbler stared at us with an unreadable expression on his face. Then he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, the bubbles turned green and span back down, this time too fast for me to swat them away. Upon contact they glued themselves to our arms. I shook my arm back and forth, trying to dislodge them, but that just made more bubbles glue themselves to my fingers. When a bubble touched another one, they combined, growing bigger until my arms were encased.

I backed up, still trying to shake them off, tripping into you. With a shout we fell over, until bubble after bubble combined to make one huge green bubble- inside which, you and I were trapped.

You shouted in frustration and slammed the side of it. The Bubbler laughed at us.  
"Give me your miraculouses before you run out of air."  
You glared back. "Dream on, Bubbler!"  
He shook his head. "Party poopers. Just like _adults._ "  
"Kids need adults!"  
" _False!_ Kids need freedom, fun, to let loose and live it up. Adults are controlling and _bossy."_ He gave you a look. And, to be honest, I could relate. You were a _little_ bossy.  
"But kids need adults to keep them safe and protected! They care for their kids and love them!"

Well. Most do. "You must bring the adults back, Bubbler!"  
The Bubbler shook his head at me. "Nope, never! You know what? Since you love adults so much, _why don't you go join them?!"_

He ran at us, sneering the whole while, and furiously kicked us into the sky. The bubble was thrust into the air, slamming us against the slick and slight sticky walls, hurtling until we were level with the top of the Eiffel tower.

You slapped the sides of the bubble, trying to find a weak spot, but there wasn't one. You looked at me with tired eyes. "Use your cataclysm!"  
"Couldn't you have said that, like, five hundred feet ago?"  
"Well, we can't stay in this bubble forever!"  
I paused and slowly gave you a grin with raised eyebrows.  
You groaned and held your forehead. I could be a bit of a headache.

"Cataclysm!"  
My gut twisted, and my right hand numbed as the dark magic unleashed, hovering on the tips of my fingers. I slammed it onto the bubble, and with a _pop!_ we were free-falling back down to earth.

"Should we see if you land on your feet this time?"  
 _This_ time? "Yeah, _NO THANKS!"  
_ You glanced around before pointing at the Eiffel tower. "Your stick, there!"  
I threw it.  
You grabbed my hand and swung your yo-yo at it. For a second nothing happened, and we were still falling. My heart plummeted, deciding to meet me at the pavement.  
Then we swung, whip-lash throwing my head backwards until we safely rolled onto a patch of grass.

I smiled, panting. "Good thing cats aren't afraid of heights."  
You ignored my comment, par usual. "We need to get to his bubble sword. That's gotta be where his akuma is."  
 _Beep, beep!_  
We both glanced down at my ring. "Better hurry," I frowned.

We ran back to the mansion faster than I would've liked. Sure, I wanted to get this over with, but _man_ was I out of breath.  
The Bubbler was glaring at our classmates, hands on his hips. They cowered behind the banisters with the same look in their eyes that they'd had when we were dancing. _Ohh._ Duh.

"Where is everybody?" The Bubbler growled. "Get out here and _party!"_  
"Oh, sorry to _burst your bubble."_ (Did you come up with these lines on the spot? Do you have a book of awesome one-liners at home that I'll never level up to?)

"LADYBUG! LADYBUG! LADYBUG!"  
You shook your head in mock pity. "No-one wants to party with you anymore, Bubbler."  
He tensed. "What's wrong with all you guys? Why ya'll gotta be such _haters_?!" He grunted angrily, swinging his sword in their direction.

Green bubbles shot out, swallowing our classmates, and sending them floating up… up… up… I gripped my baton to keep from leaping at the Bubbler.  
 _"NOO!"_  
The Bubbler pivoted, snarling. "Outer space is the place for your precious peeps and they're _never_ coming back!" He dashed away towards the Eiffel tower.  
Your teasing smile was gone. You snatched your yo-yo from it's place at your side and hurled it after him.

We were right on his tail, but I guess someone failed to mention his explosive bubbles. I cried out, pushing you in the opposite direction. He tossed them at us almost casually, just waiting for one leap in the wrong direction.

 _Beep, beep!_  
"I'm gonna change back soon! Hurry!"  
"LUCKY CHARM!"

With a flash of pink magic, an oversized wrench landed in your hands.  
"Your… plumbing skills are going to save us?"  
You shrugged.

Then the Bubbler threw more explosives at me, so I leaped higher until I found a beam slightly out of his range. I was tempted to make a joke about best friends always being warm or something, but I decided against it. You weren't ready for any identity reveals yet.

I resorted to taunting him. "Could use a little work! Is that all you've got?"  
He roared and threw more.  
From below, you shouted happily. "I've got it!" I risked a glance down to watch you run over to a large pipe before unscrewing it with the wrench. It thrust backwards shakily, air blowing out, over to where I was. "Cat Noir, cover me!"

I jumped down and grabbed the pipe. "Go on!"  
The Bubbler sent more bubbles at me, but the pipe blew them away, over his head and out of sight. Before he could send any more, you swung your yo-yo up and snagged his sword. With a triumphant grin you snapped it across your knees. Out flapped a dark purple butterfly: the akuma.

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize!" I dropped the pipe and walked over to you as you swung your yo-yo around, caught the akuma, and released the butterfly from the magic.  
We watched the newly purified bug fly away as the Bubbler transformed back into Nino.

"Who? …Dude."

We fist-bumped.

* * *

The next day school was in again, and I walked in wearing the new blue scarf my dad had given me for my birthday. Alya and you were standing at the base of the stairs.  
"Hey, girls!"  
You whispered something to Alya, who grinned and waved at me.  
"Hey, nice scarf, Adrien! Off the chain."  
"Yeah, can you believe my dad got this for me? He's been giving me the same lame pen for three years in a row."  
Alya's eye twitched.

Nino smiled. "I guess anyone can change. Adults can be cool when you least expect it."  
"Speaking of adults, I know my dad said you were a bad influence, but-"  
"We're good, Adrien. Don't sweat it. We're buds now and forever."

The bell rang, and we walked inside.


End file.
